SEYMOUR — The Seymour Board of Education unanimously approved a $40.3 million budget for the 2024 – 2025 fiscal year on Monday that carries a $2.1 million — or 5.6 percent — over the current budget.
The budget now heads to the town’s board of finance for a review. Voters will head to the polls in the spring to decide the school and town budgets.
Here is the breakdown of the requested $2.1 million increase:
*Certified contractual staff increases — $419,246
*Non-certified contractual staff increases — $146,436
*Health insurance — $562,321
*Pension contribution — $65,184
*Special education (including tuition/transportation for outplaced students) — $296,697
*Technology — $24,720
*Facilities (repairs and maintenance)- $28,620
*Property/liability insurance- $28,770
*Classroom teacher at Seymour Middle School- $108,827
*English language learner teacher for the elementary schools- $108,827
* “Unified” art teacher for the elementary schools- $108,827 (unified means the instructor can teach other subjects, such as library-media, band and physical education).
*Social worker for the elementary schools- $103,609
* Instructional coach to bolster middle school math- $113,861
The budget adopted by the board of education this week was actually $404,416 more than the budget plan initially proposed by Superintendent of Schools Susan Compton.
The board scrapped a security guard position and two alternative education teachers from Compton’s early proposal, but kept in three permanent building substitutes. Compton said existing staff can be used to create an alt ed program.
Compton said the budget is “bare bones.”
“To the town and board of finance, please listen to me, we can’t cut anymore, we can’t hurt our children and the educational level we have here,” she said.
Last year it took three tries to get voters to approve a school budget. While the approved budget still carried a 2.5 spending increase over the previous budget, the school board made cuts such as not replacing an assistant principal at Seymour High School, cutting a school secretary’s position and cutting a special education director.
Seymour School Board Chairman Chris Champagne said the budget moves the district forward.
“We have prioritized the best interests of our students and the community, striving to strike a delicate balance between maintaining high educational standards and demonstrating fiscal responsibility,” Champagne said via an email to the Valley Indy.
Champagne said of the 5.6 percent increase, 1.4 percent represents new positions.
The board’s budget workshop from Jan. 29 can be viewed here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOX66nTwhrE
Residents can get updates on the budget on the board’s website:
https://www.seymourschools.org/board-of-education/2024 – 2025-budget-central
